Housing and methods of producing a housing

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a housing, in particular a housing for electronic components, which includes a housing part ( 2 ) which is made of plastic and has at least one opening ( 4 ), and a lid part ( 1 ) for closing off the opening ( 4 ). It is proposed that the lid part ( 1 ) is produced as a metal punched part, the punched edge ( 14 ) of the lid part having a punch ridge ( 12 ) on a first side ( 10 ) of the lid part and a punch indentation ( 13 ) on a second side ( 11 ) opposite the first side, and the lid part being pressed into the opening ( 4 ) of the housing part ( 2 ) via the second side ( 11 ) so that the lid part ( 1 ) comes to rest against assigned sections ( 7   a ) of the inner wall ( 7 ) of the opening ( 4 ) via at least two edge sections ( 14   a ) that are distributed around the perimeter of the lid part and bites into the assigned sections ( 7   a ) of the inner wall ( 7 ) in a barb-like manner via the punch ridge ( 12 ).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing and a method ofproducing a housing having the features recited in the preamble of claim1 and of claim 7.

[0002] A housing of this kind and a method for producing it are knownheretofore per, for example, German Patent 196 26 084 A1. The housingfor a pressure sensor chip described in that document has a housing basepart made of plastic having an opening which, once the sensor componenthas been inserted, is closed off via a lid part that is embodied as aconnector element. The lid part has a resilient projection which locksinto a groove that is provided on the housing base part.

[0003] Furthermore, in the related art many different types of housingfor electrical and/or electronic components having a lid part made ofplastic or metal which is adhesively bonded to or clipped onto a housingmade of plastic are known heretofore.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVETION

[0004] The housing according to the present invention having thecharacterizing features indicated in claim 1 has the advantage that thelid part is produced in a straightforward and very inexpensive manner asa punched component made of a metal sheet, and is attached to theplastic housing part in a straightforward manner so that it cannot belost. The lid part has at its edge—which is produced via the punchprocess—a punch ridge on the first side and a punch indentation on asecond side that is opposite the first side. Thanks to the rounded edgecontour, the punch indentation on the second side of the lid partfunctions advantageously to facilitate sliding or insertion when the lidpart is pressed into the opening of a housing part. The punch ridge,which is on the first side of the lid part opposite the punchindentation, advantageously bites into the inner wall of the opening ina barb-like manner, so that the lid part is fixed in place in thehousing part so that it cannot be lost. Thus it is advantageous thatthere is no need for stop lugs, clip attachments or adhesive bondingattachment. The lid part may be given different contours via punching,and may be given different shapes via stamping or drawing. A minimum ofspace is required on the housing part to fix the lid part in place, asadhesive-bonding attachments, clip attachments or other attachment meansare not required.

[0005] Advantageous embodiments and further refinements of the presentinvention can be achieved via the features indicated in the dependentclaims.

[0006] In order to ensure that the lid part is reliably fixed in placein the opening of the housing part, the distance between at least twoedge sections distributed around the perimeter of the lid part isslightly greater than the distance between the respective sections ofthe inner wall of the opening, so that the edge sections exert lateralpressure on the inner walls, and the sharp-edged punch ridge of the lidpart bites reliably into the relatively soft inner walls, which are madeof plastic.

[0007] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the housing wall that delimitsthe opening has elastically flexible areas having reduced wallthickness, into the inner sides of which the edge sections of the lidpart having the punch ridge can bite in a barb-like manner. As a result,the load that needs to be applied when pressing in the lid part isreduced in an advantageous manner.

[0008] When the lid part is pressed in, it advantageously comes to reston a shoulder that is provided on the inside of the housing of thehousing part.

[0009] Furthermore it is advantageous if an adhesive or sealant whichseals off the housing and reliably reduces penetration by moisture orharmful gases is applied all around the outer edge area of the firstside of the lid part and to a part of the inner wall of the opening thatextends beyond the first side of the lid part.

[0010] Furthermore, a method for producing a housing, in which a housingpart made of plastic and having an opening is closed off by a lid part,and in which the lid part is produced by punching from a metal sheet,the edge of the lid part having a punch ridge on the first side of thelid part and a punch indentation on the second side opposite the firstside, the lid part then being pressed into the opening of the housingpart via the second side, the lid part thus coming to rest against therespective sections of the inner wall of the opening via at least twoedge sections distributed around the perimeter of the lid part, and thepunch ridge biting in there in a barb-like manner, is advantageous. Themethod may be carried out in a fully automated manner, and makes itfeasible to close off a plastic housing in a straightforward manner sothat the lid cannot be lost, no additional process steps beingnecessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0011] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown in thedrawing and described in greater detail in the description below.

[0012]FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a device for producing thelid part during a the punch process;

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a cross section through a first exemplary embodimentof the housing according to the present invention along the line I-I inFIG. 2;

[0014]FIG. 2a shows part of FIG. 2, enlarged;

[0015]FIG. 3 shows a top view of the housing shown in FIG. 2 that isclosed off using lid part 1;

[0016]FIG. 4 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the housingaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0017] In FIG. 1, a device for producing the lid part is shown. Metalsheet 100 is placed on base support 102, which has a preferablyrectangular-shaped recess 103 having width b and a length that is notshown. Metal sheet 100, which is preferably made of stainless steel,covers recess 103. The metal sheet may also be made of aluminum ornickel or another suitable metal. Next, lid part 1 is punched out ofmetal sheet 100 using punch 101, punch 101 having smaller spatialdimensions than the width b and the length of recess 103, so that thereis a small gap between the outer wall of the punch and the inner wall ofrecess 103. In the case of a metal sheet having a thickness of about 250micrometers, gap width a should be approximately between 0.03 and 0.01mm. In the case of a thicker metal sheet, the gap width may be greater.Punched lid part 1 has first side 10, second side 11, which is oppositefirst side 10, and edge 14 around the perimeter, this being created viathe punch process. As can be seen most clearly in FIG. 2 and FIG. 2a,after the punch process described above has been carried out, punchededge 14 of lid part 1 has punch ridge 12 on first side 10 and punchindentation 13 on second side 11 opposite first side 10. The edgecontour in the transition area between second side 11 and edge 14 isrounded thanks to punch indentation 13 and may therefore facilitateinsertion when lid part 1 is pressed into the opening of housing part 2.Punch ridge 12 functions as a kind of barb via which lid part 1 can befixed in place in inner wall 7 of an opening 4 of a housing 2, thisinner wall being made of plastic and thus relatively flexible. The shapeand size of punch ridge 12 and of punch indentation 13 opposite it areessentially defined by gap width a of the punch tool and the material oflid part 1.

[0018] The pot-shaped housing part shown in FIG. 2 is made of plasticand is preferably used to house an electronic component 3, in particulara semiconductor pressure sensor. The electrical connectors of sensor 3,which are not shown, pass outwards through the side walls or base ofhousing part 2. Housing part 2 has an opening 4 on its upper side. Astep, via which shoulder 6 on which lid part 1 rests and via whichsurrounding wall 8—which delimits opening 4 and is collar-like—areformed, is provided in the part of inner wall 7 of housing part 2 thatdelimits opening 4. As wall 8 is, like housing part 2, made of plastic,the wall is somewhat elastically flexible. Although it is possible toembody the lid part and opening 4 so that they are, for example,circular, and to press the lid part into the opening so that the entiresurrounding edge 14 comes to rest against inner side 7 of housing wall8, this would mean that quite considerable force would have to beexerted, and in an unfavorable case this could result in deforming oflid part 1.

[0019] Therefore, as is shown in FIG. 3, in an advantageous exemplaryembodiment wall 8 has elastically flexible areas 5 having reduced wallthickness, these being formed by recesses in wall 8. Edge 14 of lid part1 has a contour that largely matches the contour of inner wall 7 ofhousing wall 8 and has tongue-like sections 17 which protrude outwardsand which, at their edge sections 14 a, come to rest against elasticallyflexible areas 5 of housing wall 8, while the remaining edge sections ofedge 14 are not in direct contact with inner wall 7 of housing 8 butrather are separated from it by a small gap. As a result, when it ispressed in, the lid part is pressed via just a few edge areas 14 aagainst elastically flexible sections 7 a of inner wall 7 of housingwall 8, which means the force required to press it in is reduced. In theboundary case there may be just two edge sections located opposite oneanother. In the case of all the exemplary embodiments, distance bbetween two edge sections 14 a distributed around the perimeter of lidpart 1 is always slightly greater than distance c between the assignedsections 7 a of inner wall 7, so that when lid part 1 is pressed in theinner wall is bent outwards slightly. During pressing in, the punchindentation, which slides over the inner edges of housing wall sections7 a, advantageously facilitates insertion. As is shown in FIG. 2 andFIG. 2a, when it is pressed in the lid part comes to rest on shoulder 6via second side 11. In the end position, punch ridge 12 bites into innerwall sections 7 a in a barb-like manner so that lid part 1 is fixed inposition in housing part 2 so that it cannot be lost.

[0020] In another exemplary embodiment, lid part 1 is in addition givena three-dimensional shape via stamping or drawing, e.g., a dish-shapedcontour as shown in FIG. 4. In addition, it is also possible to apply asealing adhesive or sealant, e.g., a silicon adhesive, to edge area 16of first side 10 of lid part 1 and to a part of inner wall 7 of opening4 that extends beyond first side 10.

What is claimed is:
 1. A housing, in particular a housing for electroniccomponents, which includes a housing part (2) which is made of plasticand has at least one opening (4), and a lid part (1) for closing off theopening (4), wherein the lid part (1) is produced as a punched metalpart, the punched edge (14) of the lid part having a punch ridge (12) ona first side (10) of the lid part and a punch indentation (13) on asecond side (11) opposite the first side, and the lid part being pressedinto the opening (4) of the housing part (2) via the second side (11) sothat the lid part (1) comes to rest against corresponding sections (7 a)of the inner wall (7) of the opening (4) via at least two edge sections(14 a) that are distributed around the perimeter of the lid part andbites into the corresponding sections (7 a) of the inner wall (7) in abarb-like manner via the punch ridge (12).
 2. The housing according toclaim 1, wherein the distance (b) between the at least two edge sections(14 a) which are distributed around the perimeter of the lid part (1) isslightly greater than the distance (c) between the assigned sections (7a) of the inner wall (7) of the opening (4).
 3. The housing according toclaim 1 or 2, wherein a housing wall (8) which delimits the opening (4)has elastically flexible areas (5) having reduced wall thickness intowhose inner sides (7 a) the edge sections (14 a) of the lid part (1)bite in a barb-like manner via the punch ridge (12).
 4. The housingaccording to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing inner sides ofthe housing part (2) have a shoulder (6) on which the lid part (1) thathas been pressed in rests.
 5. The housing according to claim 1, whereina sealant or sealing adhesive is applied around the outer edge area (16)of the first side (10) of the lid part (1) and to a part of the innerwall (7) of the opening (4) which extends beyond the first side (10) ofthe lid part (1).
 6. The housing according to one of claims 1 to 5,wherein an electronic component (3), in particular a semiconductorsensor element, is inserted into the housing (1, 2).
 7. A method ofproducing a housing, in particular a housing for electronic components,in which a housing part (2) which is made of plastic and which has anopening (4) is closed off via a lid part (1), wherein the lid part (1)is produced via punching of a metal sheet (100), the edge (14) of thelid part (1) having a punch ridge (12) on a first side (10) of the lidpart and a punch indentation (13) on a second side (11) opposite thefirst side, the lid part being subsequently pressed into the opening (4)of the housing part (2) via the second side (11), the lid part (1)coming to rest against assigned sections (7 a) of the inner wall (7) ofthe opening (4) via at least two edge sections (14 a) that aredistributed around the perimeter of the lid part and biting in there ina barb-like manner via the punch ridge (12).
 8. The method according toclaim 7, wherein the distance (b) between the at least two edge sections(14 a) that are distributed around the perimeter of lid part (1) isslightly greater than the distance (c) between the assigned sections (7a) of the inner wall (7) of the opening (4).
 9. The method according toclaim 7, wherein elastically flexible areas (5) having reduced wallthickness are provided in a housing wall (8) that delimits the opening(4), into the inner sides (7 a) of which the edge sections (14 a) of thelid part (1) bite in a barb-like manner via the punch ridge (12) whenpressing in is carried out.
 10. The method according to claim 7, whereinafter the lid part (1) has been pressed in, a sealing adhesive isapplied around the edge area (16) of the first side (10) of the lid part(1) and to a part of the inner wall (7) of the opening (4) which extendsbeyond the first side (10) of the lid part (1).